Leaving port at 11pm

[Sydney32203]

I'll be on the 14 day cruise on Voyager in December in Sydney (our first cruise!) The itinerary says it will depart Sydney at 11pm.

 

From what I've read in forums, there is usually a formal night on the first night. Since sail away is at 11pm, wil there still be a formal night?

 

Will most people still be up and partying for the sail away? Might be a silly question but we have a 5 year old and we are not use to staying up really late anymore :)

 

Most people check in early (around 11am?)...will this still be the case for a 11pm departure?

 

Thanks.

[Desertbelle]

How exciting for you! We are going to Sydney next year for our first time and we can't wait!

 

Formal nights are never on the 1st night. In fact, the first night is usually very casual as many people are still wearing the clothing they traveled to the port in because luggage doesn't get to all the cabins until after dinner. Probably the first formal night will be the 2nd or 3rd night of the cruise....depending on ports. I have been on cruises where the first formal night wasn't until night 5.

 

We have had two cruises that left at 11 pm, and both times the sail away parties weren't as well attended as cruises that leave earlier. Most people have been traveling all day and had a few drinks, so it wouldn't be surprising if people go to bed before the ship sails. With one of our 11 pm departure cruises there were a couple of buses that got hung up with guests at the Mexican border (they were buses of cruisers coming from San Diego to Ensenada), so the Captain delayed leaving to wait on them. We gave up around midnight and went to bed...it was pretty cool to wake up the next morning far out to sea!

 

Don't sweat the minor stuff, relax, remember you are on vacation! Have a great time.

[critterchick]

Formal night is usually the second night of the cruise, not the first. I imagine that the late sailaway was planned to let people have an evening out in Sydney without having an overnight there.

 

Check-in will probably start as soon as the ship is cleared from the prior cruise - if Voyager is arriving at 6 or 7 am, as is the norm, then she should probably be cleared in time for a late morning check-in/boarding.

 

Whether there will be people out and about depends on whether they have their five year olds with them, I suppose.;) I know that sailing out during daylight hours is simply spectacular - I don't know about that late at night, but the twinkling lights of the city might still be pretty. I imagine that the ship will be pretty quiet, though.

[Artemis]

Hi, Sydney, what fun--your first cruise, with your daughter along, and 14 days. Wow! I suggest you join the Roll Call for your cruise. You can exchange info and tips, find good leads on excursions, plan a social meet-up with fellow pax, etc.

 

Here's the link to the Royal Caribbean - Voyager section of the Roll Calls forum. I see a Dec. 22 departure out of Sydney. If that one's not yours, keep looking! http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=275

[BillOh]

How exciting for you! We are going to Sydney next year for our first time and we can't wait!

 

Formal nights are never on the 1st night. In fact, the first night is usually very casual as many people are still wearing the clothing they traveled to the port in because luggage doesn't get to all the cabins until after dinner.

 

Absolutely no disrespect, but has any one actually sailed from here? The assertion seems to be true of any cruise I have been on, but this one depart at 11pm. What time do they start boarding? If boarding doesn't start till 5pm maybe, but if you can board at noon?

[negc]

Absolutely no disrespect, but has any one actually sailed from here? The assertion seems to be true of any cruise I have been on, but this one depart at 11pm. What time do they start boarding? If boarding doesn't start till 5pm maybe, but if you can board at noon?

 

Haven't actually sailed from there, but have sailed on several cruises that departed well after dark, and in fact, as late as midnight and in each instance boarding has begun at approximately noon. Reasons for the late departure can vary but often are necessary because of airline schedules that have many guests arriving at the departure port in the late afternoon, early evening. The first formal night has not always been on the second night of the cruise but has never, in our experience been the day we first boarded the ship.

[cruisenfever]

Absolutely no disrespect, but has any one actually sailed from here? The assertion seems to be true of any cruise I have been on, but this one depart at 11pm. What time do they start boarding? If boarding doesn't start till 5pm maybe, but if you can board at noon?

Yes, we've done it several times and did it last September from Honolulu to Sydney on Radiance. We actually left the port of Honolulu at 11:59PM!:p

 

Boarding will begin at the normal time, around 11:30AM. If you board early you can disembark the ship and walk around Circular Quay or take a stroll to The Rocks.

 

First formal night will be the second night of the cruise for the OP which will be December 9th.

[cb at sea]

Formal night will NEVER, EVER be the 1st night (or the last night) of a cruise! Ever! Boarding day is considered day 1. Even with late departures, you can generally get on the ship somewhere around noon....and you should, if you can! You've paid for day 1 and you may as well get some use from the ship that you've paid for! Get your vacation started ASAP!

[Grumpy100]

We have left from Sydney once and we boarded the ship at 11:00 am.

The ship left around 5:00 PM and we sailed under the Harbor Bridge and past the Opera House. It was awesome.

We were on the Sun Princess and it was a great cruise.

Happy sailing.:):):)

[Sydney32203]

Thank you all for the info. We want to board as early as possible so we can make good use of the ship on day 1. So excited :D I'm sure we will be asleep before sail away at 11 pm but that's cool.